Vol. 500 No. 4
378 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the guidelines, if any, his Department has regarding the maximum number of pupils in any single classroom; if he has satisfied himself that Aghabullogue national school, County Cork, would not be in breach of his Department's regulations regarding pupils in a single classroom in the event of this school losing a teacher from September 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4225/99]
Maximum class size guidelines for primary schools are as follows: 35 in the case of a single grade class-group; 34 in the case of a class group of two consecutive grades; 31 in the case of multi-grade class group; and 29 for all classes in schools designated as disadvantaged. The current staffing at Aghabullogue national school of a principal and two teachers is based on the school's enrolment of 59 pupils in September, 1997. The school also has the services of a remedial teacher. I understand that the enrolment at the school has declined in the current year to 54 pupils.
Decisions have not been made regarding the staffing allocations for primary schools for the 1999-2000 school year. As soon as allocations are determined, officials of my Department will review the school's entitlement and thereafter correspond with the school's board of management in the matter.
